Editorial: The need to comprehensively chronicle the history of Malawi’s medical education and practice personalities

Adamson S. Muula

Professor and Head, Department of Community and Environmental Health, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi
Editor-in-Chief, Malawi Medical Journal

When Professor Robert (Robin) Lumb Broadhead passed away on 19^th April 2026 in Limbe-Blantyre, Malawi, some of the unwritten history of medical education and paediatrics practice was forever lost with him. I do not know the impact of such losses to medical education and the profession.  In this editorial, I have taken the liberty to whet the appetite of colleagues in the Malawi medical education and practice fraternity to consider recording the bits and pieces of the history available to them.

In anticipation to criticism, which I should regularly get more of, I will outline the authors of some history of medical education and practice that has been written. The authors have included: Michael and Elspeth King ¹, Austin Mkandawire ², Adelola Adeloye ³, Adamson Sinjani Muula and Robin Broadhead ^4-8, Adamson Muula, Wakisa Mulwafu, Diston Chiweza and Ronald Mataya ⁹, John Lwanda ¹⁰. Geoffrey W. Dahlenburg ¹¹ and most likely a few others. But much more needs to be chronicled.

In 1992, my colleagues and I were selected to start our undergraduate medical education at the Flinders University of South Australia at Bedford Park, Adelaide. In the following year we travelled to Australia where we were enrolled to read years 1 to 3 of the BMBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) programme. We were the last group to be enrolled in a 6-year undergraduate medical programme at Flinders. In 1994 there was no intake at Flinders. In 1995, a new 4-year medical programme enrolled its first intake. Our Malawian medical student team returned home between 1996 and 1997. The following were the ten students that went to Flinders Medical School; 2 women and 8 men: Rodney Mwaiwathu Kalanda (deceased); Frank Bweya Dick Mwaungulu (deceased); Cecelia Chibwana; Alice Maida; Daniel Chakhumbira Chipeta; Joe Alex Theu; Frank Mtolamawele Chimbwandira; Haldon Njikho; Dalitso Godfrey Kangaude and Adamson Sinjani Muula.

The Flinders University of South Australia got its name from Matthew Flinders- a British explorer of the 19^th century. He had arrived on the penal colony of Port Jackson in 1795, Flinders initially supported supply missions. He partnered George Bass, and together they circumnavigated Tasmania.

In later years, Flinders undertook a comprehensive voyage aboard the Investigator, departing Europe in 1801, which marked the first accurate survey of Australia’s southern coastline (including Adelaide). Flinders endured shipwrecks and imprisonment (in Mauritius). Matthew Flinders died in 1814.

History is important. The recording of history is vital. The history of the establishment of Malawi’s first medical school carries the names of John David Chiphangwi, Weston Mukiwa, Peter Chimimba, and Hetherwick Ntaba; the latter three being senior Ministry of Health officials. These and others together made different decisions towards the establishment of the first medical school in Malawi which opened in September 1991. Malawian medical doctors have a responsibility to record their history for discussion, debate and posterity.

References

1. King M & King E. The story of Medicine and Disease in Malawi: The 150 years since Livingstone, Arco Books, 1992.
2. Mkandawire A. Chimusi the legend. The Society of Malawi Journal 2006; 59: 32-34
3. Adeloye A. The Malawi “hybrid” medical graduates (1992-1998). Malawi Med J, 2016; 28: 87-91
4. Muula AS, Broadhead RL.  South Africa’s role in medical training in Malawi. S Afr Med J, 2003;93(2):119-20.
5. Broadhead RL, Muula AS. Creating a medical school for Malawi: problems and achievements.  BMJ, 2002;325(7360):384-7. doi: 10.1136/bmj.325.7360.384.
6. Broadhead RL, Muula AS. A Medical Curriculum for all seasons – a dialogue. Malawi Med J, 2001;13(3):6-10.
7.  Muula AS, Broadhead RL. The Australian contribution towards medical training in Malawi. Med J Aust, 2001 Jul 2;175(1):42-7.
8. Muula AS, Broadhead RL.The first decade of the Malawi College of Medicine: a critical appraisal. Trop Med Int Health, 2001 Feb;6(2):155-9.
9. Muula AS, Mulwafu W, Chiweza D, Mataya R. Reflections on the first twenty-five years of the University of Malawi College of Medicine. Malawi Med J, 2016; 28(3):75-78
10. Lwanda J. Doctoring the brain drain: medical case of Malawi. African Issues, 2002; 30: 47-51

Dahlenburg GW.Letter from … Malawi: the first year of the College of Medicine of the University of Malawi. Trop Doct, 1993 Jan;23(1):4-6.